Beetroot Orzo and Pine Nut Traybake

Yes, its beetroot again but what a great recipe this is! Given to me by my almost-daughter-in -law Sheena, this is the perfect vegetarian main that everyone will love – everyone who likes beetroot that is! It´s also lovely cold and would make brilliant picnic food. Definitely a keeper.

Orzo is rice shaped pasta. In Spain it´s called piñones because it looks like pine nuts and in Italian it’s also called risoni because it looks like rice!. And although it is a pasta, here you cook it in a roasting pan with all the other ingredients, so it`s not only delicious, it’s also very easy. And, equally important, it looks gorgeous. Flavour, texture and colour – perfect!

Beetroot Orzo and Pine Nut Traybake

Adapted very slightly from “The Green Roasting Tin” Rukmini Iyer

Ingredients

Serves 2-3 as a main course

• 300g grated raw beetroot
• 200g orzo
• 1-2 cloves garlic crushed
• Handful of shredded beet leaves and stems
• 500g stock (1-2 stock cubes)
• 50g pine nuts
• 1 +1 tbs olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbs Greek yoghurt
• Dill or parsley
• 1 tsp salt and black pepper (preferably salt flakes)

Method

Heat the oven to 200 C/ gas mark 6

Mix the grated beetroot, beetroot leaves, garlic, orzo, pine nuts, olive oil and a pinch or two of salt in a roasting tin. Add the stock till it covers the mixture, mix and bake for about 40 minutes, checking after 30 mins. The orzo should be cooked al dente and nearly all the liquid absorbed.

Remove from the oven, pour in the lemon juice, another glug of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt flakes and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle over finely chopped dill or parsley and serve with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt for each person.

You could also serve this with a cucumber yoghurt salad instead of the yoghurt on top. Or try some grilled courgettes or just a lovely crunchy green salad on the side.